US drug sales to fall 17pc
Friday, 2 November 2007
WASHINGTON, Nov 1 (AP): Pharmaceutical sales in the US will drop to a third of global sales in 2008, from a 50 per cent share two years ago, a report released Thursday stated.
Prescription drugs sales in emerging economies in China, Brazil, Turkey, Mexico and elsewhere are booming but the gains will be offset by the loss of patent protection for profitable drugs worth $20 billion in annual sales in 2008, predicts health care research firm IMS Health.
Expected global sales growth of 5.0 per cent to 6.0 per cent, worth between US$735 billion to $745 billion, in 2008 compares with 6.0 per cent to 7.0 per cent growth in 2006 that netted between $695 billion to $705 billion.
Prescription drugs sales in emerging economies in China, Brazil, Turkey, Mexico and elsewhere are booming but the gains will be offset by the loss of patent protection for profitable drugs worth $20 billion in annual sales in 2008, predicts health care research firm IMS Health.
Expected global sales growth of 5.0 per cent to 6.0 per cent, worth between US$735 billion to $745 billion, in 2008 compares with 6.0 per cent to 7.0 per cent growth in 2006 that netted between $695 billion to $705 billion.